11.16.2006

Weddings and stuff

Last night I was accused of being "terribly romantic"!

I'll start at the beginning. A good friend of mine got engaged Tuesday evening. Yes, this is exciting news despite the fact that she has been dating her fiancé for a mere 3 months. I know dear reader, I was concerned at first as well. But really, with the divorce rate as high as it is, I'm not convinced it matters. My friends have just as much chance of staying together as a couple who has dated for four years or a couple who has dated for two weeks or a couple who've been living together for 10 years and have children together. The point is, they are both intelligent adults and have decided to make a commitment to one another. What more does there need to be?

With this commitment, of course, comes the planning of the wedding. The picking out of the colors and the dresses and the flowers. Decisions on ceremony location and reception location and honeymoon location. Arrangements for food and alcohol and music. We know the drill. It's the fluffy occasion every little girl dreams of, right? Wrong.

Here's where the "terribly romantic" accusation comes into play. As I was talking to a friend of mine about the recent and happy engagement, our conversation turned to weddings in general. I pooh-poohed the traditional, established wedding rituals. Amusedly, my friend asked me, "okay then, miss smarty-pants, describe your wedding"

"Well, if you must know, I do not want a wedding. I want to travel to some exciting destination and get married abroad. A simple ceremony in a fantastically foreign locale, just me and my beloved, accompanied by an intimate and carefree exploration of the country and culture. Maybe someplace like Budapest or Prague. Vienna or a Greek island. The details haven't been worked out yet. And afterwards, returning home from our adventure, we would throw a casual party for friends and family to celebrate. Just a party. No wedding cake, no dancing with the bride, no tossing of the bouquet, no garters, no toasts. Just a happy couple hosting a fun gathering with maybe some strategically placed photos of our recent travels. So there."